16 ways to calm down when you’re stressed.

16 ways to calm down when you’re stressed.

posted by: Dr Adrian Couzner

Take a deep breath
All it takes are a few simple steps. Begin by taking a normal breath. Then try a deep breath: Breathe in slowly through your nose, allowing your chest and lower belly to rise as you fill your lungs, let your abdomen expand fully. Now breathe out slowly through your nose. Repeat

Laugh
According to the Mayo Clinic, laughing and looking for the humor in things is so beneficial that it can ease physical pain, boost your immune system, help you make connections with other people and aid with coping with anxiety and depression.

Get a massage
A 2005 study from the University of Miami noted that cortisol levels (the chemical that the body produces when you’re in a stressful or frightening situation) decreased following massage therapy.

Do a mental scan of your body
Kevin Janks the co-founder of Centred Meditation in Sydney recommends when you’re stressed, shut your eyes and for 30 seconds, do a mental scan of your body, from the top of your head to your feet. He suggests isolating each area of the body and consciously relaxing it to let go of tension.

Show Gratitude
Consider keeping a gratitude journal so you can have something concrete to refer to when anxiety starts to get you down. A study from the University of California San Diego found that people who were grateful had healthier hearts.

Sing
Give it a try — even if you’re not a songbird, the benefits might surprise you. A 2014 study out of Japan looking at the health of the elderly found that after a group of senior citizens sang, their stress levels decreased and their moods improved, even if they weren’t fans of singing.

The nose knows
Burn essential oils. Lavender, lemon and jasmine are all known for helping alleviate anxiety and tension. Lavender oil is sometimes used to assist headaches.

Count to 10
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America recommends slowly counting to 10 or 20 to focus your mind on something other than what’s stressing you out. It’s simple but might be a good place to start.

Rest
If you find yourself stressed during the day, consider taking a nap or heading home a little earlier to get to bed at a less late hour. According to the American Psychological Association, “when we do not sleep long or well enough, our bodies do not get the full benefits of sleep, such as muscle repair and memory consolidation. Sleep is so crucial that even slight sleep deprivation or poor sleep can affect memory, judgment and mood.”

Drink water
Coffee and Alcohol can dehydrate you and make you feel irritable, shaky or stressed out, which can even trigger panic attacks. Instead turn to H2O to stay hydrated.

Warm up your hands
During truly anxiety-inducing situations, blood flow is directed to the body’s biggest muscles, leaving your extremities cold. But when blood flows back into your hands and feet, that is a signal that the danger, perceived or otherwise, has passed.

Get or give a hug
A 2015 study from Carnegie Mellon University found that hugs actually made people less susceptible to getting colds and generally decreased feelings of anxiety. “Hugging protects people who are under stress from the increased risk for colds [that’s] usually associated with stress,” study author Carnegie Mellon psychology professor Sheldon Cohen told US News and World Report. Hugging “is a marker of intimacy and helps generate the feeling that others are there to help in the face of adversity.”

Eat Anti-oxidants rich foods
According to Harvard Medical School, food high in antioxidants, such as beans, apples, plums, berries, walnuts, broccoli and artichokes, can help ease feelings of stress and anxiety.

Talk it out
The American Psychological Association advises that one of the key ways you can calm down if you’re stressed out is not to go it alone. “When you share your concerns or feelings with another person, it does help relieve stress. But it’s important that the person whom you talk to is someone whom you trust and whom you feel can understand and validate you.”

Get Exercise
The Mayo Clinic notes that exercise aids in the production of endorphins, which can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as improve sleep.

Get Adjusted
Getting a Chiropractic adjustment has numerous benefits in regards to stress. An adjustment creates the release of endorphins, your bodies natural happy hormones. It also improves your ability to adapt to stress.

*Exerts of this article were taken from the Entrepreneur Daily by Nina Zipkin

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